Advice on Case Cleaning

D_H_P

Well-Known Member
Thanks for previous advice on dies, very helpful and much appreciated. I am now asking for advice on case cleaning.

I haven't got much space and would prefer to clean cases in the house - the garage is possible, but its damp and inconvenient.

One option is to use solvent without tumbling. So does anybody use the Lyman Orange Turbo Case Cleaning Solution?
Lyman Products Your Primary Source for Reloading Equipment
What do you think? Pros and cons?

The other option is dry tumbling. The tumbler wont be running all the time, so I can put it on a timer, and leave it during the day, when I am out, so noise, although worth considering isn't that much of an issue, but dust is. A few of the Lyman products seem to have a sieve lid that wouldn't do anything to stop dust. Other products appear to have tight fitting lid that would. What do you think? Pros and cons?

Finally, media. Corn or Walnut? Any additives to consider.

Dave.
 
I have a small rock tumbler that I use with stainless steel pins to clean batches of up to 50 cases (260 Rem) at a time. I generally tumble for about an hour. Regards JCS
 
I used to use a Thuumblers Tumbler for my pistol cases. It is also a rock polishing tumblers so is sealed against dust. You have made me stop and think now so will have to see if it is still tucked away somewhere or not. Had not thought about this for some years.
 
Ultrasonic? At least that's what I'm thinking of buying. Not fussed if they're not shiny.
Jim

I deprime the brass, anneal it, then stainless steel pin it, full length resize, trim and deburr. Then I run the brass through the ultrasonic before putting the prep'd brass away.

Regards

JCS
 
I deprime the brass, anneal it, then stainless steel pin it, full length resize, trim and deburr. Then I run the brass through the ultrasonic before putting the prep'd brass away.

Regards

JCS

I'm interested in how you anneal? Presumably just the neck, and a pretty tight temperature tolerance?

Jim
 
I've tried all methods over the years but about 4-5 years ago I switched to Stainless steel media and really happy with the results.

For anyone unfamiliar with the SS method, here's a short video of how I do mine:

 
Honestly you don't need to clean.

If you are reloading and the cases are a bit dirty then wash them in soapy water and let them dry on a soft cloth in a fireplace or in a cardboard box on top of a radiator. Cleaning may look nice...we all love a shiny new 2p coin...but ir doesn't add anything.

Save you money and buy a primer pocket cleaner (or make one by grinding the sides of a screwdriver parallel to fit) as that will make you primers seat best.
 
I use corn cob in a lyman tumbler- procedure:- tumble cases-inspect/check case length, trim if necessary (usually every 3rd or 4th firing)-deprime/fl size-clean again to remove lubricant/inspect again checking cases for stuck media- ready to reload
 
Honestly you don't need to clean.

If you are reloading and the cases are a bit dirty then wash them in soapy water and let them dry on a soft cloth in a fireplace or in a cardboard box on top of a radiator. Cleaning may look nice...we all love a shiny new 2p coin...but ir doesn't add anything.

Save you money and buy a primer pocket cleaner (or make one by grinding the sides of a screwdriver parallel to fit) as that will make you primers seat best.

I like to present clean cases to my expensive dies. Regards JCS
 
Hmm. And does the side of the brass gently "kiss" the die as it enters? And I hope that they are well lubricated so they slip in easily?

However, joking apart, that does raise a couple of point that is worth mentioning to the OP.

Clean rifle cases do enter better than dirty rifle cases but shiny bright rifle cases enter no better than clean but not shiny rifle cases that aren't shiny (but nevertheless are clean) but that regardless they all, dirty, shiny or clean but not shiny, ALL rifle cases must be lubricated particularly making sure this includes at the base or else they all will jam.
 
D_H_P
The "sieve/grid" on the top of some Lyman tumblers does help separate the cases from the medium, when you have finished cleaning. Just tip the whole thing over and shake it into a plastic bucket. I don't find I get any dust from corn cob medium.
Marcher.
 
ALL rifle cases must be lubricated particularly making sure this includes at the base or else they all will jam.

Surely this depends on the type of dies used as as I remember not all types of dies require lubing to size.
 
Surely this depends on the type of dies used as as I remember not all types of dies require lubing to size.

The only exception, for rifle cases (of bottleneck type), would be Lee's Collet Sizing dies. But for standard Full Length dies or standard Neck Size dies you will need to lube including unless you've a carbide sizing ball inside the case neck. But for Lee's Collet Sizing dies you don't need lube anywhere, inside or out.

Carbide dies don't need lube but AFAIK these are only available for straight wall cases and, exceptionally, .30 M1 Carbine although that last is recommended to lube every third case.
 
I just use Brasso, and give them a good rub.
A bit tedious if you've got a lot to do, but I only re-load in batches of 20 so it's not too bad.
 
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